EU’s trade links with US provide 12 million jobs

TWELVE million jobs depend on the vital trade links between the US and the European Union, the next EU Ambassador to Washington John Bruton revealed yesterday.

Responding to claims that he faced an impossible task because the majority of Americans did not know of his new post or that the European Union existed, Mr Bruton said: "This is not an impossible task because the EU's dealings with the US will be mainly economic this is one of the most important trade relationships in the world."

The American market is vital to Europe there is more EU investment in State of Texas than the entire US investment in Japan, Mr Bruton said.

And the rules that govern the trade relationship between the US and the EU are very important because 12 million jobs depend on those trade links, the former Fine Gael leader said.

While Mr Bruton said his main job would be economic, there would also be a political dimension to it in explaining to Americans the relevance of the EU on the world stage.

"Politics dominates the agenda in Washington unlike New York and Chicago where economics dominate and my job will be to educate Americans about the EU," he told RTÉ.

The European Union was the first organisation founded out of peace and not war he said.

"Almost every nation was born out of war, but the EU was born out of the desire for peace and co-operation I believe it is the world's greatest peace process."

He said the EU's main battles were the war against terrorism and white collar crime.

Mr Bruton accepted the Iraq war had damaged the EU/US relations.

"But now we have to move on and we, in Europe, are in the same camp as the Americans in wanting to restore peace there," he said.

Asked if US President George Bush had more to gain by talking to the EU than vice-versa, he said: "I don't see it as a gain for one over the other if the US wants to develop a relationship with Europe and build bridges with France then the EU can help it and everyone will benefit."